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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: How Tuesday’s going, so far

(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)6:38 AM: As forecast, the wind calmed down overnight. No early reports of trouble on the main routes from/to/through West Seattle. Let us know how it’s going for you.

8:05 AM UPDATE: Big backup on the bridge, and we’re hearing that it’s slower than usual getting to the bridge too. Only major call we know of is a car fire on northbound I-5 at Mercer. Let us know if you see something else. In West Seattle, there is a heavy-rescue call for a crash at 48th/Spokane, which is near both Madison and Schmitz Park schools – we are on the way to find out what’s going on.

9:17 AM UPDATE: Here’s our full report on that 48th/Spokane crash, which has cleared. Still don’t know exactly what the problem was with Avalon. There’s a report being checked out right now of a possible semitruck stalled at West Marginal/Highland Park Way, so if you head that way and encounter trouble, let us know. Sometimes we’ll hear dispatches on the scanner to possible problems – and not always hear the upshot.

10:01 AM UPDATE: From Washington State Ferries – the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth run is down a boat:

The Klahowya will be temporarily out of service for necessary repairs to the vessel. This cancels the following sailings: 9:30 a.m. Vashon>Southworth, 9:50 a.m. SW>Vashon, 10:10 a.m. Vason>Fauntleroy, and 10:40 a.m. Fauntleroy>Vashon. Updates will occur when more information becomes available.

11:43 AM UPDATE: Route 120 is being routed off eastbound Roxbury because of the aforementioned incident, according to a Metro text alert. Meantime, Terminal 5 tech problems are still slowing truck traffic there, per an SDOT alert and a comment on this thread. Thanks again to everybody for getting in the spirit of this and providing ongoing updates!

46 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: How Tuesday's going, so far"

Took RR for first time since I couldn’t ride my bike today. Definitely slower by about 5 or so minutes than the 54x was. If I was on bike I would have beaten the transit commute to work by far…the connections to north areas are a long wait downtown.

Heading north at 6:55, I noticed a much worse than usual back-up of trucks heading west into Harbor Island. They were backed up across the Spokane Street Viaduct as far as I could see, and when I peeked below the traffic was also backed up down there. So if you are heading into West Seattle, take the high bridge!

Under bridge right now. It’s been 20 minutes to the Chelan Cafe from the Luna Park Cafe. Not moving, so im writing on my phone at a full stop in traffic. I may need to find a new route!
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I’d really like to know what causes this, so I can plan better in the future. I can’t afford to be surprised by being a half hour later to work at random.

Was waiting at Yancy/Avalon, busses half a block down not going anywhere. Lots of sirens. Headed over to Delridge where traffic/busses are flowing well. Would avoid Avalon in the immediate future (got on 125 at 7:50)

Trains are blocking the traffic making a left onto chelan causing a backup even for those trying to get on west marginal way s. left apt at 7:15 just arrived at the stop light cor of Spokane and chelan at 753

Horrible. It’s actually better going over the bridge than under. Took me 25 minutes to get from 35th/Avalon to the bridge. Couldn’t wait anymore so just went up where it seemed to be moving better. Glad I did.

Terminal 5 in West Seattle had a backing up of trucks as we passed heading east over the lower bridge from Delridge (around 8 am). To make it worse, a train with lots of cars from T5 was pulling out heading east to the rail yard blocking traffic heading to West Seattle on East Marginal Way. Didn’t look pretty.

Left on the RR from AK junction at 7:20am. Took about 25 minutes to get down Avalon to the bridge. I saw a disabled car being hooked up to a tow truck in the far right lane near the crest of the bridge, this would have been about 7:50 or so. After that it was pretty smooth sailing.

So it looks like it was a train causing the problem under the bridge, like Jennifer described. Amazing that a train, which doesn’t even cross the arterial (runs parallel to it), could block traffic so much.
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Is there a way to predict this in the future? W Marginal is the fastest way for me to get to work usually, but if I could predict the train and lower bridge opening schedule, I could use that to avoid the crowds by planning ahead. Is this info published anywhere?

I happened to catch the RR at 8:25 at The Junction. The driver said it was a one-trip only added bus. There were a lot of seats available, but by the time we hit the bridge people were standing. WHICH SHOULD TELL METRO THEY NEED TO ADD SOME PERMANENT BUS ROUTES. Even if they end at downtown, it would provide some much needed relief from the chaos and fiasco of the current situation.

drove in again. left 10 minutes earlier at 640 and saw the RR full again with a few people standing. Traffic much heavier than usual for this time of morning. Better than 730, but still heavier. there was no rain. The new norm?

Broken record here…but really bummed after all the bridge work, 1st ave work,on/off ramp work, and bus changes (RR, route 50, etc), the commute getting over the WS Bridge is the same in the morning hours as it was 2 years ago…Ugh.

I might need to brush up on my old transportation economics coures I took in the 80’s to understand why : ))

Jeff – many people are going to have trouble standing for as long as the bus ride takes. If you have had to wait 30-40 minutes standing at the bus stop for a bus with space, then standing for another 30-40 minutes to get to your destination, even people without mobility problems are going to fatigue. I am healthy, and work on my feet. My legs are exhausted at the end of the day. (also currently pregnant, which makes it even more tiring to stand). If this bus change added another 1-2 hours of standing to my day, I wouldn’t be able to take it. Empty space means people riding the longest distance are comfortable. I expect the route to be SRO at the END of the pick-ups, not at the beginning.

Aw, work’s not a bummer. Pays the bills. We highly recommend entrepreneurialism, which may even (as it has for us) eliminate the need to go off-peninsula. Though unfortunately there are on-peninsula traffic jams sometimes too.

Well never mind the 21x. It never showed. Now I have another 10 minutes and maybe it will show up? Nextbus was not accurate. This is why I ride my bike. I coulda been home by now. I guess I will catch another RR bus and walk a heck of a way home.

I too wish I would know when the “train” is going to stop traffic under the bridge like that. It took me a half hour ot even get on the bridge (I normally take W Marginal Way – not this time! Upper was faster!)
I’m a teacher and I had to call in for a sub for 1 period. Because of this, I missed 1/2 day pay. :(

Stephanie, you speak as if I’ve never ridden the bus. I don’t deny that some need seats. It is however an undeniable fact that a full bus is more economically efficient than a partially empty one. Want more bus service and more seats? Lobby for more taxes to pay for them. That’s what I do.

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